Results 33,301-33,320 of 46,522 for speaker:Simon Harris

Health (Covid-19): Statements (16 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: There is absolutely no doubt that this virus does not discriminate in terms of age, gender or where someone lives in our country. However, we know that it has a significant impact on people of a certain age. Very sadly, nine out of ten deaths in our country, some 91%, have been people over the age of 65. Roughly two thirds of deaths have been people with underlying health conditions. This...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (16 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: We support the WHO and I hope and believe there is a political consensus in this House in that regard. The Tánaiste, Deputy Coveney, today announced that we are quadrupling our normal annual financial contribution to the WHO this year to €9.5 million. That is right and proper. It is the very least we can do. It is a global pandemic. The WHO is doing incredible work. Our own...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (16 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I will start with the Deputy's last question. I believe this has exposed a great inequality that exists in society. While I do not yet have data, I do not need them to tell me that it is harder to isolate in crowded accommodation. I do not need the data to tell me that vulnerable people living in congregated settings are more at risk or that it is more difficult to ask those who are...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (16 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: At the outset I just want to say that we will need to have a very serious conversation about the way we care for older people at the end of this pandemic. The Deputy is 100% correct that the current model is not fit for purpose. I would love to talk about that for longer; we do not have the time now but it is not fit for purpose. On the issue of transparency, Deputy Shortall has been...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (16 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: First, I will not make any partisan political comments. I used to be an awfully partisan politician and, really, this pandemic teaches one that everybody in this House in all parties and none is working their very best to save lives. That has been my experience of engagement with people here. I think we are very lucky to have Dr. Tony Holohan, a public health specialist, as the Chief...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (16 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank Dr. Berry. It is good to have his expert opinion as well. In relation to that scheme, it will open tomorrow. The CEO of the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, had a conversation with the head of Nursing Homes Ireland this week anyway in that regard but it will open tomorrow. I thank Deputy Berry for bringing that up. In relation to St. Fintan's, Portlaoise, I can only...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (16 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I do not know what the cost has been in relation to Aer Lingus, but I will check it out and revert to the Deputy. As he rightly said, its staff have done heroic work. I thank the crews, pilots and everyone else who have left their families and flown out there to do this. They have done the country a great service. I do not know the answer - I am being honest - but I will come back to...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (16 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his questions. We are operating in a time when we are trying to do a great deal simultaneously and at speed. Normally, many of the matters we are discussing - redeploying staff from one place to the other, for example - would take months of negotiation. We are now doing them day in, day out with the WHO's mantra in mind, that is, speed trumps perfection. It has to....

Health (Covid-19): Statements (16 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputies Connolly and Harkin. In response to Deputy Connolly, I have to put on the record of this House that whether they appeared in a briefing document or not, nursing homes certainly were a constant source of attention. I say that because HIQA, which regulates our nursing homes, is on the National Public Health Emergency Team so the nursing homes regulator has been sitting at the...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (16 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I am sorry. I heard the Deputy ask about clusters. I could not hear her properly.

Health (Covid-19): Statements (16 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: That is not my understanding. I will confirm that in writing but it is not my understanding. In regard to private hospitals, I issued a letter through my Department to the HSE about the importance of continuity of care. One cannot just wash one's hands of one's patient. Whether it is a public or a private hospital, there is a continuity of care duty. Our doctors take that very...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (16 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: If we can join up plans better, we should, so I would like to hear from Dr. Lambert and I would welcome his input in that regard. Did I miss the Deputy's last question?

Health (Covid-19): Statements (16 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I do not have that information, but I would very much like to see it as well. I will try to get that figure for the Deputy this week.

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I welcome this opportunity to update the House on Covid-19 and our response to it. First, and most importantly, I wish to express my sincere condolences to the family and friends of those we have lost to this disease since this House last met. I am conscious that news bulletins every night are full of statistics and reports of new cases and new deaths but we should never forget that behind...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I do not think it serves us well in our understanding of public health to differentiate between a response in the community and a response in terms of long-term residential care settings as though they are not linked. Had we not managed to flatten the curve as a people in the community, I shudder to think what the situation in our long-term residential care facilities would be like. I...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I join Deputy O'Reilly in offering my sympathy and condolences to the family of the care worker to whom she referred and indeed to all families who have been bereaved. We think of them all. On staffing in nursing homes, Deputy O'Reilly made a valid point. All Members know that nursing homes often face staffing challenges and that there is often significant competition between elements...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I join Deputies Feighan and Durkan in thanking our front-line staff, including those in the ambulance service, for the work they are doing. I get the point Deputy Feighan made about builders providers but taking into account the reminder that Deputy O'Reilly gave me about not speculating, which was fair, these issues will be examined by the NPHET to ensure that there is clarity for all...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputies Smyth and O'Gorman for their questions. I do agree that we need to sort out the problem in respect of radiography students. I need, however, to find a mechanism similar to the one we used to resolve the issue for student nurses. We have not paid student nurses but we have offered them the right to be employed as healthcare assistants and have paid them for that. I have...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is correct that we are seeing a very significant increase in the number of infections in the nursing home setting. One of the reasons for that, I would imagine, is that we are actively looking for it in that setting. Particularly since Friday, we have seen a concerted effort, starting with nursing homes where there has been a significant outbreak, to test all asymptomatic...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I will do my best to answer them.